Do Betta Fish Need a Heater? This a Frequently asked question these days as the weather is still enough cold for the lovely betta to survive, if you are new to keeping bettas with you then this question must be your concern otherwise it will haunt you every time you will remember your dead/healthy betta.
Before getting an understanding of the water temperature requirements of your little betta fish you need to first know about its birthplace, natural habitat conditions, diet, and daily routine!
Most of the betta owners do not know about their basic requirements and as a result of this they end up mistreating their betta without knowing that their way of keeping them will decide the life span of betta fish and hence the betta fish dies very soon, so put your focus here to read about each and everything regarding the water temperature and heaters for betta fish tank so that you could keep your betta healthy and happy!
What is the Right Temperature of Water for Betta Fish Care?
Betta fish is a Siamese Fighting fish also called Betta Splendens which is found originally in the rice paddies, water canals and the flood plains of Thailand. It lives in slightly warm water in the natural habitat, it is a carnivore by nature so it requires to eat food that is rich in proteins. Betta fish is a fighter fish and does not allow anyone to live with him while living in the tank.
As the betta fish requires more protein and is very active and aggressive by nature, it is understood that it needs a warm environment in which he can make his movements properly. The answer is definitely YES, your betta fish needs warm water just like his natural habitat in Thailand!
The best way to keep your betta fish healthy and happy with you is to mimic and maintain the environments of natural habitat for them in their tank. For this purpose, you will need several enhancements such as filling your betta’s tank with pebbles, and plants and giving them a high protein diet like warm, shrimps and other small fish the most important task is to provide warm water so that their body could be healthy.
Do Betta Fish Need a Heater?
As a matter of fact, betta fish need warm water to feel at home while living with you in their tank! To mimic the natural temperature of the water of their homeland you will need a heater.
Precautions of heating water with a heater in betta’s tank:
Before buying a heater for the betta fish tank you need to just consider the following precautions to keep your betta safe.
What type of heater you should buy for the betta tank:
Be very careful while buying a heater for the betta fish tank, as heating the water can cook your betta which can result in the sickness and even death of little bettas!
The heater with a proper thermostat is the most convenient for you and safe for the betta, for a perfect betta fish care, you should keep track of the water temperature in which you are keeping him. The temperature of the water should not be increased/decreased by the required level for him otherwise it will stress the betta fish
There are such heaters available in the market that do not contain a thermostat and it does not help the fish keepers to gauge temperature which leads to lesser or higher temperatures. Thermoset makes the heater to be turned off when the required temperature of the water is reached and it will set you free from hassle!
Go for glass instead of choosing plastic ones! As plastic stains and also discolors very rapidly and on the other side, the heaters of glass do perform very well for a long period of time.
There is one more thing to keep in mind while buying a heater is that it should be fully submersible. Heaters that are fully submersible are quite efficient and performs better than others. It eliminates the probability of the heater to be accidentally fallen inside the betta tank.
What is the right temperature of water for betta fish tank?
Betta fish feels safe and healthy in moderately warm water ranging from 76 Deg. Fahrenheit to 81 Degrees! However, you can fluctuate the temperature of the water to 69 degrees and also as high as of 82 degrees but do not keep your fish high or low from these ranges because if your betta fish will live in too low temperature then it can develop bacterial infection, white spots, fin rot, mouth fungus and also its immune system can be highly affected.
What if Betta Fish is Kept in Cold Water?
As the matter of fact, betta fish is a tropical fish and requires to live in warm water like its natural habitat but most of the sellers of bettas mislead the customer and present it as a bowl fish that does not require warm water to live in! First, try to acknowledge completely that your betta fish is a carnivore and it is his body’s requirement to eat high protein diet and also to be kept in warm water.
If betta fish is kept in cold water, it starts to develop many health problems as well as it stops eating YES!!! If you will keep your betta in cold water then it will feel sick. Following are the problems which will be caused to your betta while living in cold water
- Damaged Immune System
- Betta Exposed to Bectrias
- Formation of Fungal Infection
- Generation of Parasitic Pathogens
- Development of Popeye Disease
- The decrement of Oxygen in Water
- Betta Fish Becomes Lethargic
- Getting Sick Day by Day
How to Keep Betta Fish Warm without a Heater?
Keeping betta in warm water is much more important but, if you do not have a heater for some reason then you can save your betta to be freaked out temporarily by applying simple and cost-effective methods that will raise the temperature of the water and in the result, your betta will be healthy and fine!
Let us see the following methods which can help you keep the water of the betta tank warm without a heater.
Use a Small Tank
Well, using a smaller tank t keep your betta fish is the most simple and cost-effective way in which your betta will fell at home and safe as well. Water in large amount takes time to heat up and if you will use a small tank then it will be very beneficial to you as the water in small tanks gets warm too quickly whether kept in sunlight or a heater is used. This way you can skip much hassle in order to keep the water warm.
Get your Betta a Non-Energy Efficient Filter
Using a Filter that is not energy efficient is another economical and smarter way to naturally keep the water warm. The motor of a filter also emits heat and eventually it will make the water warm! So if you have run out of a heater then you must give it a try!
Use a Stong Light in Betta Tank
Strong lightning in the betta fish tank is the simplest and easiest way to make the water to always be in warm temperature! Tank lights emit a good amount of heat when kept on for at least 8 to 10 hours a day.
Illumination not only helps to light up the tank but it also helps the plants grow, make betta fish to feel at home as well as to keep the water warm it is a multipurpose solution!
All you need to do is to be careful about the maintenance of good water temperature while following this method! Take care of your betta and if you feel that the temperature is getting too high just turn off the light for a while.
Cover the Top with Canopy or Hood
Now here comes the easiest and cheap way to keep water warm for your betta to live with full zest and zeal in its aquarium! Just cover the top of the tank with a hood or a canopy that will make the temperature of the whole tank to rise and water will be warm soon.
However, if you are concerned about the oxygen level of your betta fish’s tank then add an airstone into the tank, this will allow a small amount of air to penetrate in the tank all the time.
Keep the Tank in a Warm Place
Last but not least, this method of keeping water warm enough to make betta fish feel at home is the most convenient one. Try to keep the betta fish tank in a place where it gets enough sunlight so that the water temperature could be raised for most of the part of day!
So all the betta keepers, I have shared some extracts of personal experience and research-based knowledge with you. Try to follow the steps which are suitable for you and make bettas happy living all around the world.
